UCSF

Purpose

Use of other tobacco products (smokeless tobacco, hookah, cigarillo, and e-cigarettes) is increasing, particularly among young adults, and there are few regulations on marketing for these products. We examined the associations between tobacco marketing receptivity and other tobacco product (OTP) use among young adult bar patrons (aged 18-26 years).

Methods

Time-location sampling was used to collect cross-sectional surveys from 7,540 young adult bar patrons from January 2012 through March of 2014. Multivariable logistic regression analyses in 2015 examined if tobacco marketing receptivity was associated (1) with current (past 30 day) OTP use controlling for demographic factors and (2) with dual/poly use among current cigarette smokers (n = 3,045), controlling for demographics and nicotine dependence.

Results

Among the entire sample of young adult bar patrons (Mean_age = 23.7, standard deviation = 1.8; 48.1% female), marketing receptivity was consistently associated with current use of all OTP including smokeless tobacco (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]= 2.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.08-3.16, p < .001), hookah (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.58-2.43, p < .001), cigarillos (AOR = 3.00, 95% CI 2.21-4.08, p < .001), electronic cigarettes (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.93-3.04, p < .001), and multiple tobacco products (AOR = 2.93, 95% CI 2.45-3.51, p < .001). Among current smokers, marketing receptivity was significantly associated with use of smokeless tobacco (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.22-2.18, p < .01), cigarillos (AOR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.22-2.70, p < .01), and multiple tobacco products (AOR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.27-1.97, p < .001).

Conclusions

OTP use is common among young adult bar patrons, and it is associated with tobacco marketing receptivity. Efforts to limit tobacco marketing should address OTP in addition to cigarettes.